Apparatus for treating textile fibers



| N. LA FAYETTE APPARATUS FOR THEATING TEXTILE FIBERS Sept. 9, 1924 Filed March 14, 1922 o u u o u o fr 'rae /gys Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES LOUIS IN. LA FAYETTE, OF PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE FIBERS.

Application filed. March 14, 1922. Serial No. 543,553.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LOUIS N. LA FAYETTE, of Plymouth, in thecounty of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Treating Textile Fibers, of which the following 1s a specification.

This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 432,189, filed by me July 2, 1921.

My invention relates particularly to apparatus for holding bundles of yarn or the like in a suitable tank or vat during the process of dyeing. Usually there are holders within the tank attached to its false bottom and comprising perforated tubes through which the dye may be pumped in either direction, i. e. from the inside of the tube outward or from the outside of the tube inward, suitable pipe connections to the tank being provided to allow for circulation of the dye. Each bundle ofyarn to be dyed is wound upon a core which comprises 2-3 a spiral spring surrounded by a tube of fabric,a stocking, as it is ca1led,which stocking keeps the inner portion of the bundle when being wound and afterward from Working into the spaces between the coils of the spring and also prevents any abrasion of the inner threads of the bundle by its spring. A number of these bundles being laced on the holder and pressed down t iereon are held in place by a cap or cover which is locked in place by notches near the to of the holder. Two or three sets of notc es are provided near the top of the holder above that portion of the tube that is perforated so that the cover may slip down by gravity as the bundles are compressed and engage the lower notches as occasion requires, and so hold the pile of bundles in place.

When in such construction the dye is forced through the bundles from the outside and through the perforations into the tube from which it passes off, the pressure of the dye causes a compression of the bundles so that the column of bundles becomes less in height and the cover keeping in contact with the top surface of the top bundle drops and locks itself in the lower notches so that the bundles. are maintained in com ressed condition. When the passage of the ye is reversed so that it is delivered on the inside of the tube and passes out through the bundles, the bundles are still more compressed against the cover which cannot rise onaccount of its being locked by the notches.

It is necessary in such case that the cover should follow the bundles down as they are compressed in order that none of the dye can pass directly from the tank through the perforations or otherwise into the tube without passing through the bundles; in other words, so that the only passage for the dye would be through the bundles.

The result of this construction and operation is to dye the bundles imperfectly and irregularly for the dye although forced through the bundles at considerable pressure mats the yarn together so that all of it is not equally exposed to the dye, parts of the bundles being therefore more thoroughly dyed than other parts, and this is true whatever direction the dye is made to flow through the bundles.

The purpose of my invention is to provide an apparatus in which the imperfections above referred to are overcome and a more perfect product produced, and it consists in a means whereby the bundles shall be held in their substantially normal condition or have the opportunity of returning to their normal condition when, for example,

the direction of flow of the dye is changed. For this purpose I have provided a holder made of two tubes constructed to telescope, the lower tube being made of larger diameter than the upper tube which has a sliding fit therein. The lower tube is permanently supported in the false bottom of the tank and the upper tube provided with a suitable cover, and the tubes are connected by a spring or the upper tube is weighted so as always to exert some pressure on the holders. As stated above, each bundle is wound upon a spiral spring and should the spring be compressed slightly by the passage of the dye from the outside through the bundle and tube, upon release of this pressure, as for example the stoppage of the flow-of the dye from the outside of the bundle to the tube, the springs will tend to expand to their normal position which they can do because the inner tube and its cap are free to lift against the force of the weight or spring. During this time the cover on top of the upper tube is maintained in contact with the top bundle. Upon the delivery of the dye from the inside of the tube through the perforations to the inside of the bundles the bundles are compressed upwardly more or less and tend to move the cover upward so that it lifts the movable part of the telescopic holder against the force of the spring or weight holding it down. Thus in neither case are any of the perforations in the tube openly exposed and the dye is compelled to flow directly through the bundles. The bundles are thus always held under a more or less balanced pressure which keeps them in contact with each other at all times yet allows them such play as the situation at any time may require. They are .never under such pressure as to mat their yarns together and as a result the dye comes in substantially equal contact with all parts of each bundle.

The movable portion of the tube must lie within the stationary portion so that it may be free to come and go as occasion requires without interference with the bundles themselves, and the pressure by which these bundles are held in place is a yielding pressure controlled by a spring or its equivalent. Thus the bundles are never unduly compressed so that the threads mat together, but they are allowed at all times to remain in substantially the same condition under which they were when the bundles were first put on the holder, owing'to the springs 161 which tend to maintain them in expanded condition and the cover and the spring or its equivalent, which act through the movable part of the holder to keep the bundles in contact so that none of the dye is wasted. Hence the dye has the opportunity to permeate the bundles thoroughly, and as a resuit the yarn in each bundle is dyed uniformly.

It is desirable in carrying out my invention that the perforations in the upper part of the stationary tube should be slightly larger than those in the lower part of the holder, though this is a refinement which is not always necessary.

It is evident to one skilled in the art that my invention may be embodied in other constructions than that shown, its novelty as I now believe lying in mechanism which keeps a column of bundles in substantially normal condition, that is, the condition in which they are wound, notwithstanding the tendency of the dye or liquid under pressure to compress them so that it cannot properly permeate them and, while I have described above a construction which has proved of great value and is simple and economical to make, I do not mean to limit myself to that construction alone.

My invention will be understood by reference to the drawings in which it is shown in its preferred form.

nto'aeee Figure 1 is a vertical section of such a holder, the bundles of yarn being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a section of the vat and holders in reduced scale.

Fig. 4: is a detail in elevation showing a bundle in place on the holder, and

Fig. 5 shows a modification.

The vat comprises a cylindrical casing 1 having a bottom 2 and a cover 3 which may be clamped thereon in any desired way. As shown this cover has a circular groove to fit onto the top of the casing 1 and a suitable packing may be placed in this groove. The casing has lugs 5 to which are pivoted bolts 6 carrying nuts. The cover 3 has at each side a slotted flange 7 in the slots of which the bolts 6 lie. The nuts being screwed down tight make the tight closure required. This is a well known means.

The vat has a false bottom 9 which is perforated at 10 and in each perforation is mounted a perforated tube 11. Referring to Fig. 1, at the bottom of each tube is a crossbar 12 to which is attached the lower end of a spring 13. Into each tube sets with a sliding fit a second tube 14 which also carries a crossbar 15 at its lower end to which the upper end of the spring 13 is attached. The spring always tends to draw the inner tube 14 into the outer tube 11.

The inner tube is also perforated, the perforations in both tubes being such that the dye or other liquid may be forced through them. The whole forms an extensible telescopic holder or core. The perforations are numerous so that. at least some of them register whatever the position of the tubes.

The bundles of yarn are shown at 16 and are wound in such a manner that they may be spitted upon the tubes 11 and 14. 161 is a compression spring on which each bundle is wouhd and; which is surrounded by a piece of tubular fabric or stocking 162, said spring and stocking forming a yieldmg core for the bundle. This yielding core tends to expand the bundle after compression and the several springs, acting in opposition to the somewhat over balancing stress of the spring 13, serve to keep the bundles in substantlallytheir original balanced condition. Closing the top ofthe tube 14 with a tight fit is a plu' 17 having therein a groove 18 and around this plu and removable therefrom is a disk 19 which serves as a cap and carries hin ed arms 20 the ends of which are adapted to fit into the groove 18 in the plug 17 so as to hold the disk together in place. The disk rests on the top bundle,

In practice the disk 19 is removed and the desired number /'of bundles 16 are placed.

upon the holder. I The disk 19 'is then put inplace'sothatthediskresteon bopofthe andpreferably somewhat overbalances the expanding force of the springs 161.

In practice the tubes being in position as shown in Fig. 3, the liquid with which the yarn is to be treated, which may be a dye or any other desirable material, is forced into the vat through the pipe 21 by means of a pump and under considerable pressure so that the dye which is discharged into the chamber of the cylindrical casing or vat 1 is forced through the yarn and down and out through the tubes 14 and 11 into the chamber 22 underneath the false bottom 9 from which chamber it passes out through the outlet 23. The pipe 24 may serveas an overflow to take care of excess of liquid in the vat and for this purpose may lead to a reserve vat or elsewhere. Instead of pumping the dye up through the pipe 21 into the vat and hence forcing it through the bundles from their exterior inwardly and out through the tubes 11 and 14 as above described, the pump may be reversed so as to suck the dye through the bundles and the tubes 11 and 14, the supply. reservoir and connections being properly arranged therefor as will be understood by one skilled in the art. Thus the dye may be passed through the bundles alternately in opposite directions if desired. This circulation of the dye may be caused in a number of ways known to those skilled in the art and the construction of the vat varied accordingly.

I prefer to provide each tube 14 on opposite sides with slots 25 to engage pins 26 projecting inwardly from the tube 1.1 so as to assist in maintaining the tube 14 in parallel relation with the tube 11 and also to limit their relative movements. may each have a lateral extension 27 so that if desired the inner tube 14 may be turned slightly to lock it in place when loading the holders. There may be two or more of these slots located at proper distances about each inner tube in order to insure parallelism and hence the easy movement of the tube 14 within the tube 11.

An advantage of this construction lies in the fact that the bundles are always under a certain amount of compression from spring 13 which acts, however, against the force of the springs 161 so that the bundles are maintained-in substantially their original condition notwithstanding the pressure ulrlider which the liquid is forced through t em.

It is obvious that the desired balanced pressure upon the bundles may be otherwise secured, as for example, by weights of These slots suitable amounts and arrangement. Thus I have shown in Fig. '5 two weights, one a weighted cover 191 and the other a weight 131 hung in the lower tube from the upper tube 14 by a link 151. The weighted cover 191 may be suificient if of proper weight or the weight 131 may be used alone. A weight of say 6 or 7 pounds is usually suflicient.

If a weighted cover is used it is well to provide the top of the cover with perforated lugs 192, 193 and provide pins 194 to slide therein, each pin carrying a collar 195 between which and the lug 193 is a spring 196. The pins are thus held in the groove 189.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an apparatus of the kind described, a telescoping holder comprising two perforated tubes one of which is free to slide within the other, said holder being adapted to receive a plurality of bundles of textile fibers, and oppositely acting means whereby bundles placed upon said holder for treatment will be kept in substantially balanced condition.

2. In an apparatus for treating textile fibers, a telescoping holder adapted to receive a plurality of bundles of textile material, comprising two perforated tubes, one tube being adapted to slide freely within the other, said inner tube having a cover adapted to rest upon the material mounted on said holder, and means for yieldingly causing said cover to compress said material.

3. In an apparatus for treating textile fibers, a holder comprising two perforated tubes telescopically arranged, a spring con-. necting said tubes, and a, cap mounted on the top of the upper tube and adapted to engage the surface of the top bundle whereby the material placed on the tube for treatment will be kept in compressed condition.

4. In an apparatus for treating textile fibers, a holder comprising two perforated tubes telescopically arranged, a spring connecting said tubes, and a cap mounted on the top of the upper tube and adapted to engage the surface of the top bundle whereby the material placed on the tube for treatment will be kept in compressed condition, in combination with a plurality of bundles located on said holder, each bundle having a core comprising a spring adapted to keep it normally in expanded condition.

5. In an apparatus for treating textile fibers, a holder comprising a lower tube, an upper tube, said tubes being arranged in telescopic relation, a spring connecting said tubes, said upper tube having a removable cap adapted to rest upon and compress material located about said tube.

6. A vat having a false bottom provided with holes, holders mounted in said holes, said holders comprising telescopic perforated tubes, a spring connecting the tubes of each holder, means for compressing material arranged on said holders, and means for driving liquid through the perforations in said tubes and the material held thereon.

7. A vat having a false bottom provided with holes, holders mounted in said holes, said holders comprising telescopic perforated tubes, a sprlng connecting the tubes of each holder, means for compressing material arranged on said holders, means for driving liquid through the perforations in said tubes and the materia held thereon, and means tending to keep said material in expanded condition.

8. An apparatus of the kind described comprising a closed tank having a false bottom, a pluralit of telescoping perforated holders, each comprising a stationary and a slidable member, said holders being each adapted to receive a plurality of bundles of textile material, said stationary members bein fixed in openings in said false bottom and said movable members being slidingly mounted in said stationary members, means whereby bundles on said holders and resting on said false bottom will be held in place under a yielding pressure, and means whereby liquid may be forced through said tank and said bundles in either direction.

9. In an apparatus for treating textile fibers, a telescoping holder comprising a fixed perforated tube and a movable erforated tube slidably mounted in said xed tube, said holder being adaptedv to receive several bundles of such fibers, said slidable tube being provided with an attached cover at its upper end, means adapted to hold said cover yieldingly in contact with bundles placed upon said holder for treatment, and a plurality of hollow yielding cores, one for each of the bundles, said cores encircling said holder.

10. In an apparatus of the kind described, a telescoping holder comprising two perforated tubes, one of said tubes being fixedly mounted, the other tube being slidably and yieldingly mounted within said fixedly mounted tube, said holder being adapted to receive a plurality of bundles of textile fibers, and oppositely acting means whereby bundles placed upon said holder for treatment will be kept in substantially balanced condition.

11. In an apparatus for treating textile fibers, an expansible and contractible holder adapted to receive a plurality of bundles of yarn or the like and consisting of two perforated telescopically arranged tubes, one fitted to slide within the other, one of said tubes being fixed and the other movable, and means for yieldingly forcing said movable tube toward said fixed tube.

12. In an apparatus for treating textile fibers, an expansible and contractible telescopic holder adapted to receive a plurality of-bundles of yarn or the like and consisting of fixed and movable perforated tubes, said movable tube being fitted to slide freely within said fixed tube, a spring core for each of the bundles of textile material to be placed on said holder, said spring cores tending to expand the telescopic holder, and means, acting in opposition to said spring core, tending to. contract said holder, said contractin means and spring core tending to restore he textile material of the bundles to original condition after having been com-- pressed by fluid pressure.

LOUIS N. LA FAYETTE. 

